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It is seeking to overturn a planning refusal for the temporary use of six apartments at 43-44 Clarendon Street in Dublin for short-term letting. Last month, Dublin City Council gave an emphatic 'no' to the Friends First plan.

The Council made its decision after a city council planner's report stated that planning permission would result "in an unwanted precedent for similar development in the area, which may then result in the further unacceptable loss of long-term residential rental properties in the locality".

The report stated that the loss of six apartments to short-term letting is a concern due to the housing shortage. However, in its appeal against the decision, Friends First state that "it is compelled to make this appeal for reason of the apparent absence of any method to regularise, under planning statutes, a short tenure of rental for houses and apartments".

Friends First state that the only category of house or apartment for short-term lettings will be owner occupied from June of this year. It argues that all other houses and apartments being short let, unless specifically permitted "will remain unauthorised".

Friends First state that no planning permission for change of use to short-term lettings has been granted by the City Council since 2016.

It has argued that putting the possibility of regularised short-term letting beyond the reach of landlords defeats objectives to encourage leisure visitors to Dublin.